E.E.C. NEGOTIATIONS Arrangement for N.Z. next week?

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32553, 12 March 1971, Page 3

E.E.C. NEGOTIATIONS Arrangement for N.Z. next week?

iFrom MICHAEL ROBSON. N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent)

LONDON, March 10.

Discussion, and even possibly negotiation, of a special arrangement to safeguard New Zealand’s trade in dairy produce if Britain enters the Common Market could come at next Tuesday’s Ministerial meeting between Mr Geoffrey Rippon and members of the Six in Brussels.

□''his has become a real possibility after yesterday’s negotiating session at deputies’ level in Brussels when Britain “reminded” the E.E.C. that a satisfactory arrangement for New Zealand was crucial if the enlargement of the Community was to be successful.

In response, Mr M. Boegner, the French ’ delegate, agreed about 1 the importance of solv- ' ing the New Zealand | question, and said the ' Six were working on a proposal. ' The speed with which the i Six work will determine how : much substantial discussion j there is on Tuesday. The Community’s perman-; ent representatives will 1 meet tomorrow, when it is thought they will continue the dicussions on the New Zealand question which they have been holding for the last three weeks. If these talks are fruitful, the representatives will be able to pass on a common position for consideration at a meeting of Foreign Ministers on Monday, before the negotiating session with Britain.

POSITIONS MADE CLEAR It is known that all the members of the E.E.C. have now made their positions on New Zealand clear. These range from a Dutch proposal which sets a 70 per cent guarantee of New Zealand’s present trade after the five year transitional period, to the French view that all special arrangements must end by 1978.

The key to how easy it will be to reconcile these views lies with the French. If they maintan a stubborn and unyielding position, it will be difficult to find common ground. As the British made abundantly clear in yesterday’s statement, the negotiations could founder if the Six are not prepared to arrive at a fair offer.

The Dutch especially, the

Italians, and the West Germans are anxious to have Britain in the Community and, therefore, are not likely to give way to French demands for an extremely strong line, if it is at all possible. While New Zealanders can be encouraged that the British are sticking to their original suggestion—that New Zealand be guaranteed its present trade for the transitional period and that the matter be reviewed a year before this ends—it would be foolish to think that a compromise considerably below this, is not possible. There is reason to think that if the Dutch won with their 70 per cent figure, Mr Rippon and his negotiators would grab such an offer and present it to the British public as a generous and serious settlement. POSSIBLE POSITION What is more likely to emerge as a common position for the Six is something close to the unofficial proposals arrived at by the Commission late last year. These are for a 50 per cent guarantee on butter at the end of five years, a phasingout of cheese, and a review of the matter if no international dairy agreement is reached in the interim. Modifications could be a more generous stand on cheese, or a return to the idea of milk equivalents—which could be presented as concessions to the British. In yesterday’s session, the leader of the British delegation (Sir Con O’Neill), reminded the Six of the tremendous political, social, and economic repercussions for New Zealand if Britain entered the Community with-

out adequate safeguards for New Zealand’s trade. It is significant that he also referred to the opening statement by Britain on New Zealand, made by Mr Anthony Barber in Luxemburg last year, which mentioned safeguards for lamb as well as for butter and cheese.